I downloaded an app called "What'sApp" (iPhone 6) and make calls via wifi to any phone that also has the app. I used it a lot this past winter when we were there. Check with your provider for any temporary international plans. For example, my daughter has Verizon and she can use her phone as much as she wants for $10 for a 24 hour period. If you can plan your activity, a plan like this may be a good deal.

I have had the whats up app on my iPhone for several years and it works wonderfully. My friends that live in Aruba and I talk via txt almost everyday as well as phone calls now and again. You do have to have the app on your phone as AndyM mentioned but it is worth it ($1/yr)...You do have to shut your data off while in Aruba and use wifi only, but then you don't have to rent a phone or buy a sim and minutes......

my brother in law had at&t on his phone .Forgot to turn of data. got a $385 bill for his e mails.Be carefull,I have verizon> limit to a few call"s home to check on pets.Still wes 78 dollars for what 7 calls in three weeks.We go every year now.Bought a phone there and buy a card with minutes.Only use it for the three weeks and throw it in the suitcase when going home

Thank you for the replies. We really only need it to check in on the kids each day (staying with grandparents).

With AT&T Wi-Fi calling or maybe it's my 6s, I don't need and special apps. If I can connect to a wi-fi signal, I can make and receive calls. I wonder if I will have to use the country code to call back to the U.S.? I guess we will find out!

I guess we could Facetime them as well... assuming the Marriott wi-fi can handle that bandwidth.

At the Marriott Surf Club right now. Wife is getting Game of Thrones update from my son via Facetime as I type. The bandwidth at the Marriott can definitely handle it. She's on Facetime and I'm on the forum at the same time in our room.

We use face time to contact the UK and it's free ..We leave a phone In Aruba , on a Aruba SIM card for local calls ..
It's cheap and easy to get a sim .Otherwise it would be very expensive .My cousin had huge bills on her IPhone .

about 18 mos ago we were in aruba and there was a woman who told me of her great verizon plan and she did not have to worry about data charges.i did not really believe that all was that great and i advised her to contact verizon and get the low down again. we exchanged emails as she wanted to rent one of my lacabana units.

about a month later she emailed me and told me of her $400+ data overage on her phone and almost $200 on her husband's phone.

please folks turn your phone on AIRPLANE mode and WIFI on.

Originally Posted by marblehead paul

my brother in law had at&t on his phone .Forgot to turn of data. got a $385 bill for his e mails.Be carefull,I have verizon> limit to a few call"s home to check on pets.Still wes 78 dollars for what 7 calls in three weeks.We go every year now.Bought a phone there and buy a card with minutes.Only use it for the three weeks and throw it in the suitcase when going home

Our two iPhones are on Consumer Cellular. A great provider but they don't offer any international calling plans. I did what Andrea suggested, turn on airplane mode and turned on wifi. We used our phones via wifi at no cost.

T-Mobile is the only option I know of that isn't a ripoff on the island. If you have one of their regular "simple choice" plans you can send/receive unlimited texts on the island and you have unlimited data. Making calls is $.20/minute which I thought was very reasonable compared to the Verizon/att plans my family was using. I had a bit of an emergency dog situation last time I was there and my vet was calling me giving updates a few times a day for pretty much the whole trip...got home and my bill was all of $6 higher than normal.

My son has me on his T-Mobile plan. It the unlimited Data plan; when we travel put the phone on wifi calling, if we get a call that is important we just go where there is wifi (but if not able only $.20 per minute with no roaming charge.. have free international texting as well.
When we where there last year my bill was only a few dollars for calling home.
We always pack our super charging too.. takes no time to recharge a phone too.

Originally Posted by boqueesha

T-Mobile is the only option I know of that isn't a ripoff on the island. If you have one of their regular "simple choice" plans you can send/receive unlimited texts on the island and you have unlimited data. Making calls is $.20/minute which I thought was very reasonable compared to the Verizon/att plans my family was using. I had a bit of an emergency dog situation last time I was there and my vet was calling me giving updates a few times a day for pretty much the whole trip...got home and my bill was all of $6 higher than normal.